On November 18, 2010, the United States, on behalf of a Caucasian tenant and her mixed-race child, filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, under the Fair Housing Act against the manager and owners of a Vicksburg, Mississippi apartment building. The plaintiff sought declaratory, injunctive, and monetary relief, claiming that the tenant's lease was terminated due to both the race of the tenant's daughter and the tenant's association with African-Americans.

The parties proceeded with discovery for the next two years and trial was set for August of 2012. The parties also initiated a settlement conference in January 13, 2012, which resulted with an agreement subject to the court's approval.

On March 20, 2012, the court entered a consent decree enforcing the settlement agreement. The defendants did not admit to any violation of the Fair Housing Act, but agreed to change their practices and policies to prevent future violations. This agreement required the defendants to notify the public of their compliance with the Fair Housing Act, provide nondiscrimination training to their employees, provide notification to the United States of other complaints of discrimination, and pay plaintiffs $17,500 in settlement of the case. The consent decree was in effect until 2014.

Maria Ricaurte - 02/01/2016


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